Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41029199›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

The state of abortion services in five Pacific Island countries: a legislative analysis and scoping review.

Jenny Cao, Amanda Blair, Caroline Homer, Deborah Bateson, Kirsten Black, Amanda Noovao-Hill, Leeanne Panisi, Errolyn Tungunaboe, Kamo Dumo, Liai Siitia and 1 more

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jenny CaoWomen's, Children's and Adolescents' Health Program, Burnet, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. jennyvcao2@gmail.com.
Amanda BlairWomen's, Children's and Adolescents' Health Program, Burnet, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Caroline HomerWomen's, Children's and Adolescents' Health Program, Burnet, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Deborah BatesonFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Kirsten BlackFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Amanda Noovao-HillFiji National University, Suva, Fiji.
Leeanne PanisiNational Referral Hospital, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Errolyn TungunaboeVila Hospital, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Kamo DumoAngau Memorial General Hospital, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
Liai SiitiaSamoa Family Health Association, Apia, Samoa.
Alyce WilsonWomen's, Children's and Adolescents' Health Program, Burnet, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnsafe abortions are a leading cause of maternal mortality. This study aimed to conduct a legislative analysis and scoping review to i) describe the abortion laws in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Samoa, ii) identify what safe and unsafe abortion practices and services are available in these countries, and iii) understand women's experiences of accessing these services.

methodsAbortion law data for these five countries were extracted and examined from the Global Abortion Policies Database. A scoping review identified relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature. Studies from all years and all languages were eligible. A systematic search was conducted on 1 December 2024 using Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and CINAHL (EBSCO) databases. Additionally, we hand-searched Google Scholar and the websites and databases of organisations focused on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in the selected Pacific Island countries. Two independent reviewers screened studies for eligibility using Covidence software. An expert advisory group of Pacific Islander clinicians guided this review.

resultsThe legislative analysis revealed that abortion laws are generally unclear and restrictive in all five countries. Fiji has the most legal grounds for abortion (five), while Vanuatu has the fewest (one). In all five countries, abortion law specifies penalties (imprisonment) for women, providers, and anyone assisting with abortion. The scoping review included 17 articles: 10 from PNG, three from Vanuatu, one from the Solomon Islands, one from Fiji, and two from the Pacific Islands. Studies discussed various abortion strategies and experiences of post-abortion care, but none discussed safe abortion care. Misoprostol use was widely documented to induce abortion. Unsafe abortion methods included using various physical means and consuming traditional herbs. Women lacked control over abortion decision-making and described their experiences seeking post-abortion care for complications.

conclusionWe found limited evidence surrounding safe abortion services in these five countries. Future research should examine what optimal safe abortion care may look like within these countries' health systems. Concerted advocacy is necessary to drive legislative reform, dismantle barriers, and create an enabling environment for safe abortion services, thereby facilitating the achievement of SRH and rights.

Indexed as

Abortion, InducedAbortion, LegalHealth Services AccessibilityFemaleFijiHumansMelanesiaPacific IslandsPapua New GuineaPregnancySamoaVanuatuAbortion lawHealth policyMaternal mortalityPacific IslandsSexual and reproductive healthUnsafe abortion

Identifiers

PMID41029199
PMCPMC12487553

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.